An encouragement to share food.....There are Lonely People in Your Church

Over the past few years I have become increasingly aware of how many lonely, lost and isolated people are in our churches. And im not talking about the unsaved! All to often we look outside the church and get involved in community projects to express the love of the church that we completely miss the hurting and lonely people sitting around us on a Sunday. From the old lady who has been coming for years, the couple with kids who don\'t know anyone, to the single mum who struggles with her kids, these people need you to invite them around to your house after church, to call them in the week.
Even people who appear to be ok, they to, can feel isolated.

In the first few years, after moving down south, back in 2003, we had so many people around for dinner but what was strange was the number of times we were invited back. After 8 years we can still count on one hand the number of times! For whatever reason the practicalities of being in a family of believers has been lost.

Why?

Is this a southern thing or a sign of the economic times where people are busier than ever? Or is it that we have lost the basic principles of expressing Love and fellowship to each other?
There are so many examples where Jesus got off his backside and sat down with people in their homes, sharing a meal.

From the Pharisee leader to Zaccaeus, Jesus expressed love and fellowship by the very simple act of sharing a meal.

I simply encourage you to invite someone new to your house on Sunday, someone outside of your clique.
If you are have been in church for over 20 years, stop for a minute – are you hanging around with the same people as 20 years ago – they will be from the same mould and you need to kick yourself into gear – you are probably not being inclusive….do you walk pass people without acknowledging them?

Sharing a meal, ivitting them to your house, says alot, it says im interested in you, it says you are worth somthing.

Lonely people don’t stick around for to long, listen to their hearts all they need is friendship and love. If we don’t address this fundamental need, Love in the church, all we are is a clanging bell. We may be great at sharing love outside the church but neglect the people that are inside the building.
Over the past few years, Just before Christmas my wife Vicki has arranged collections of food so we could make up hampers for people in need in church and people in the community. What was truly amazing was the responses back from people even in the church. “No one has ever thought of me.”, “I am not used to getting anything”

There are lonely people in your church! what ae you going to do about it?

Fact or Truth

Sometimes we can be so caught up in the facts of life, that we forget the Truth of the Word.

We can look at the natural things around us and forget to speak faith in to the situation. You know we can bring heaven on earth by speaking out the Word, the Truth. In Habakkuk 3, the prophet Habakkuk speaks about there being no fruit on the vines and no figs on the fig trees, these are facts, but he goes on to say that he still rejoices because he knows the Truth. The truth is that God can lift you up; he can take you up to the high places. The Truth is God watches over you, and miracles start to happen when we start speaking the Truth into situations.

In Joshua chapter 10 verses 13 we see that God can even stop the sun in it tracks, he can take a huge army and whittle down to 300 men and still win the battle.

What are you facing right now, that in the natural looks like you are defeated? Speak the Word of Truth.

By that I mean read the bible and start speaking out passages that you read. Romans 8 is a great place to start, No weapon formed against me will prosper, I can do all things through Christ that gives me strength. Stop looking at Facts and speak the Truth.

Habakkuk 3
New International Version (NIV)
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.

Building and Growing

I am called to be the best me I can be, and you are called to be the best you that you can be but sometimes we try and do things that simply aren’t what we need or are supposed to do.  We are co-labourers with God, and there are two separate dimensions we need to consider when we do ‘stuff’. The things that God is responsible for and the things we are responsible for. We are responsible for planting, building and producing programs, God is responsible for growing your church, the presence of God and moving people in their hearts.  Whether you are a small group leader, lead a church or you are involved in mission – the best advice I can give you is to not worry about numbers, who has attended and who hasn’t.  That’s God’s responsibility, for you – have you planted the word? Have you produced a program and done the best you can with your tasks? If you have, now it’s up to God!

Let’s not try and grow what we should build or try and build what we should grow. We easily get burnt out or discouraged if we start to worry or immerse ourselves in the things that God is responsible for.  Take this as an analogy:

We Build Friendships….

Love is Grown….

1 Corinthians 3 (New International Version)

5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Let\'s Go!

Let\'s Go!

Far better it is to dare mighty things to win glorious triumphs, even though chequered with failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory or defeat.